


Le Portrait de Petit Shoma

by running_with_luck



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Blood, Figure Skater Cameos, Gore, It's gonna be a wild ride so strap in, Le Portrait de Petit Cossette AU, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Murder, Obsession, Self-Indulgent, Unhealthy Relationships, knife shoes appreciation society, ksas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2019-10-08 13:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17387573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/running_with_luck/pseuds/running_with_luck
Summary: Nathan Chen is an art student, and he works at an antique store. He comes across a painting one day, of a boy named Shoma Uno, and falls madly and hopelessly in love with him. But, surely, the boy is long since dead... right?





	1. Finding What Was Never Lost

Nathan Chen is a college art student. This is the unavoidable truth. And with college, and art, came a necessity to eat, and purchase other worldly objects to do his painting. This, also, is the unavoidable truth. Therefore, when his uncle offers him employment at an antique shop, he has very little room to argue.

 

Well, it was called an antique shop, but it was more of a glorified garage. His uncle sent many precious treasures from around the world on his travels to the shop itself, and Nathan’s job was to unpack them, make sure they weren’t damaged, and put them out on display. As the only employee, he made his own hours. A rare customer came in now and then, and it seemed to be enough to keep the store open, but otherwise, he spends most of his days alone in solitude in this store, the ticking of the many clocks on the wall a strange comfort in the silence.

 

It is one of these peculiar shipments that capture’s Nathan’s attention. An old portrait sat nestled in a bed of straw, wrapped and tucked inside protective fabrics to stave off the worse of travel, like a child hiding under blankets from a monster. It felt as though the box itself had fallen apart on its own, the contents yearning to be viewed by someone. Anyone.

 

Nathan is that anyone, and became infatuated with this portrait almost instantly.

 

Perhaps it is the soft, thin smile on soft lips the boy in the portrait wears, or the far off stare that sees through Nathan’s soul, and beyond. Each swipe of brown that gave the boy his luscious hair that curled ever so slightly made Nathan’s fingers tingle with a desire to run them through those strands. Despite the boy’s small stature, he stood up straight, as tall as possible. This boy had been a noble once, perhaps, but here he is youthful-looking, and quite short in stature.

 

His shirt is a brilliant red the likes of which Nathan has never seen, with short ruffles of fabric detailing a diamond pattern throughout his arms and chest. Silver beads carefully replicated through brushstrokes displayed in intricate spiral works on his shoulders. Shoma’s shirt wasn’t buttoned up completely, either, leaving a gap to display his delicate collarbone and a necklace. Specifically, a pendant of a diamond inside of a larger diamond to one side, made of gold, hung on a black cord.

 

‘Shoma Uno’. That was this boy’s name, as it read on the plaque at the bottom of the frame, next to a year that was too far off for him to be physically alive. It rolled off of Nathan’s tongue, foreign at first, but slowly, surely, it became familiar, as though he had always known it. He found himself whispering it to himself, pursing his lips at the ‘u’ as though he were placing a delicate kiss upon the boy’s cheek.

 

Days passed after Nathan’s first discovery of the painting and he discovered in his notes that Shoma’s face was being doodled by his hand in the margins. He would decline spending time with his friends to hurry to his uncle’s shop and spend time admiring the brushstrokes that made his new obsession.

 

“Your uncle is working you to the bone. How much is he paying you?” Nathan’s school friend Jason had slung his arm around Nathan’s shoulders after class, and normally, being this close to him, Nathan wouldn’t mind, but something had started to feel… off, about being around his usual friends. Nathan felt far less inclined to be open. He would joke with them and shrug off questions about his wellbeing, but not once, not ever, had he told his friends about Shoma. Perhaps he never will.

* * *

 

 

It was just after a fresh arrival of glassware did he see Shoma, or rather, Shoma’s back.

 

Shoma was inside the wine glass itself, much like, Nathan assumed, a fortuneteller would scry and see the future inside a crystal ball. Nathan had to blink many times, rub his eyes, look away and come back, to make sure he wasn’t crazy. Shoma skated on a frozen pond, somewhere far from here, and from the looks of things, he was quite good at it. Puffs of steam left Shoma’s naturally pouted lips, indicating the temperature, but those same lips seemed to smile at the activity.

 

This glass was a window into this boy’s life and he’s moving. Breathing. _Alive._

 

Nathan spent an entire day watching this glass, neglecting the rest of the work he had to do that day. Being the only employee had its perks. He watched Shoma skate again today at the pond, and always, his back to Nathan. He could just see that cheek, round and soft, turn slightly when something caught Shoma’s eye, and spot the color of his eyes when he turned around in a circle, but not once did he see Shoma’s face completely.

 

“Please, turn around” Nathan pleadingly whispers to the glass itself after some unknown amount of time had passed, knowing that it was unlikely that Shoma would even hear him, but oh, he yearned, just once, to see Shoma smile for him.

 

Whatever god that is toying with Nathan’s heart must have heard his prayer, for Shoma did, in fact, slow to a stop and turn around to face Nathan completely. He can finally see Shoma in full view and while he looks young, he does not seem to be a child at least. He is a wonderous sight to behold in person, if you could call it that.

 

Never, not once, in Nathan’s life, had he smiled to himself like he did then. His heart swells with a warmth he can’t put his finger on, and he suddenly feels as light as air. This must be love, he thinks.

 

He tries his luck. Surely, Shoma couldn’t hear him, let along see him… right?

 

“Um… Hello.” Nathan says and Shoma smiles back, waving shyly from his side, as though some adult might scold him and tell him not to.

 

Surely Nathan is going mad. He is talking to a _hallucination in a glass_ at best and yet, he’s never been happier. He runs his hand through his dark curls, trying to pull his nerves together. He fears that one wrong move, and he will scare the image away.

 

“My name is Nathan. You’re Shoma, right?”

 

Shoma covers his mouth to hide a laugh and Nathan swears he can hear it, distant and soft, as though he were listening from the end of a corridor, but Shoma’s laugh is a melody unlike he’s ever heard. What did he say that was so funny? Is his pronunciation wrong?

 

“Could you please come closer? I want to meet you.”

 

Shoma’s smile fades and shakes his head, his brown hair shifting ever so out of place.

 

“Why not?”

 

He looks sad as he turns his whole body away to skate to the other end of the pond, far from Nathan.

 

“No, wait-!” Nathan is suddenly up on his feet as if, somehow, he could chase after Shoma and, horrifyingly, bumps the checkout desk he had been sitting at and knocks over the glass.

 

It’s a scramble to catch it and he falls over the desk catch it before it hit the ground.

 

When he holds up the glass to the light to check if it’s alright, Shoma is no longer inside of it, but ever so faintly, Nathan is sure he can see the frozen pond scenery. Phew. No damage, then.

 

“Knock knock~” comes a voice from the door of the antique store. Nathan hadn’t even heard the chimes that normally are very loud whenever the door opens, and it catches him off guard for a moment.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, a very close friend of Nathan’s, is at the door with a pizza box, a plastic bag with sodas, and a kind smile. They go to school together, and while Yuzuru is by far and away the better artist of the two of them, Yuzuru always seems to find the time to hang out with Nathan, to give him time and advice on many things.

 

“I come bearing pizza” Yuzuru chirps happily and lifts the box to show it off to Nathan, proud of himself for not only finding Nathan alone, but also betting that the art student hasn’t eaten yet.

 

It takes Nathan a solid few seconds to register Yuzuru is even there before smiling politely. It feels fake, to especially when he had just been smiling to genuinely with Shoma a moment ago, but he tries for Yuzuru’s sake. They’re still friends, after all.

 

“Sure. I’m sure I’ve got some plates around here I’m sure we could use-“ Nathan starts to move towards the back of the store, carefully setting the glass back on the desk. He will have to store it away properly, but he doesn’t want to draw Yuzuru’s attention to it.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Yuzuru asks, making Nathan turn to look at him. Shit, is he acting weird? Is he caught?

 

“Yeah.” Nathan lies. “Why?”

 

“Your hand-“ Yuzuru points as he walks closer, setting the pizza down near the glass, unsuspecting of it’s value to his friend. “You’re bleeding.”

 

Nathan looks down to see a gash on his finger. He must have got it when he grabbed the glass awkwardly. He looks up to see if any blood had gotten on the glass itself, but looked pristine. Strange… Did he just start bleeding?

 

“Must’ve cut myself without noticing” Nathan says as he holds his finger between his other two to get a better look at it. It doesn’t seem that deep of a cut. It is a lovely crimson, though…

 

“Have a seat.” Yuzuru insists, putting a hand on Nathan’s shoulder to guide him back to the chair behind the counter. “I’ll go grab a bandage from the first aid kit, okay?” Yuzuru is off into the bathroom of the antique shop to get bandages from the mirror cabinet, leaving Nathan alone for a moment.

 

Nathan steals another longing glance at the glass itself. He can make out Shoma skating again in the distance. How cold is it there? Will he be alright…?

 

Yuzuru is back before he can get closer and tends to Nathan’s finger with care, even mockingly ‘kissing’ it better. It gets Nathan to laugh, a little bit.

 

“You’ve been acting like you’re lovesick lately” Yuzuru points out as he helps Nathan retrieve plates from somewhere in the backrooms. They’re clean, and likely not to be bought any time soon, but Nathan nearly drops the plates at Yuzuru’s comment.

 

Yuzuru laughs as he helps Nathan regain his grip. “Sounds like I was right. So, who is she?”

 

Nathan shakes his head. He doesn’t want to say it-

 

“He?” Yuzuru guesses, and Nathan’s shocked face confirms it enough. Yuzuru nods knowingly. “I understand.”

 

“It doesn’t matter-“ Nathan sits down, feeling a sense of defeat at having been called out. He never thought of himself as gay until just now, it being pointed out that he likes a boy. It feels off.

 

“Of course it matters You’re in love with them!”

 

Yuzuru doles out the pizza while talking, trying to be encouraging. “So, do they know? That you like them, that is?”

 

Another headshake and Nathan runs a hand through his curls, letting them play on his fingers as he chooses his words carefully. Threading the smallest of needles seems easier than threading words at this moment. Yuzuru seems to give him the time to put the words together.

 

“It’s like… I’ve barely talked to him. He left before I had the chance to get to know him better.”

 

“That’s no good.” A plate with slice of pizza on it is pushed into Nathan’s hands. “You should go after them, no matter what. Who knows, maybe they can like you back.”

 

Nathan picks up the slice, watching a stray drop of red sauce fall back to the plate as he contemplated the notion that Shoma, a boy who lives in a glass and a painting, could possibly fall in love with him.

 

“Just try, okay? You’ve been pretty out of it lately, so I think it’ll at least be good for you to get how you feel off your chest. And if he rejects you, you’ve got my shoulder to cry on.” On that final word, Yuzuru takes a not so graceful bite of pizza.

 

Nathan knows Yuzuru is just trying to help. Maybe he _should_ try to talk to Shoma again… He didn’t seem angry, just sad.

 

“I’ll… I’ll try. Thanks, Yuzu.”

 

“Mmhm!” A happy nod, and Nathan is glad that the topic is dropped. Yuzuru seems more than happy to take the lead, in talking about other things, such as school and the weather and Nathan is only too happy to let him. He feels suddenly very exhausted and hungry, only now realizing with every bite of pizza that he hadn’t moved away from watching Shoma all day.

 

Every so often, Nathan would steal a little glance at the glass, curious if Shoma is still there.

 

He will try to talk to Shoma again tomorrow.


	2. A Frog in Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathan questions talking to a boy in a cup only slightly, but definitely thinks it is worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Mary the Gardener for encouraging the second chapter, with a third very likely on its way out tomorrow. <3  
> No blood this time, folks. That's for the next chapter ;3 I promise we will all suffer soon.

Tomorrow came, and Nathan felt well rested and filled with a swell of joy that carried him through his classes until he had the opportunity to leave and go to the antique store for work. He saw Yuzuru on his way out, only stopping briefly to say hello and that he was taking Yuzuru’s advice and talking to the one he’s fallen for. He hadn’t been able to read Yuzuru’s expression, but he sounded happy for Nathan.

 

As soon as he entered the antiques shop, he made a B line for where he had safely stored the glass that Shoma currently resided in. With all the care in the world, he set it on the desk. He could already see an image inside. This confirms it. He is looking into Shoma’s world.

 

Nathan folded his arms on the surface of the desk and rested his chin on them to get comfortable and as close as possible to the glass itself, as though he were going to listen to his favorite story being told to him.

 

“Hello, Shoma. I’m back again.”

 

He can see better at this angle that Shoma seems to have fallen asleep reading a book by an open window, his outfit unchanged. The book rested open upon his chest as though he had been reading it, and Nathan took a moment to admire its rise and fall. Even if it is strange circumstances, Shoma seemed to be very much alive. Living. Breathing. But where was he? And how can Nathan see him in the glass?

 

“Hey, don’t fall asleep there. You’ll catch a cold.” His voice is soft, just above a whisper, and full of endearment.

 

Shoma stirred and opened his eyes. When Shoma’s gaze turned to see Nathan, a smile spread across his lips, brightening everything around him. Nathan felt his heart skip several beats. Nathan’s memory fools him, for every memory of yesterday pales in comparison to the real thing again today.

 

“Thank you, Nathan”

 

That was the first time Nathan had heard Shoma speak. It seemed closer today, closer than when he had first heard Shoma laugh, but still some distance away. A door was closed between them, or at least that was what it sounded like. Maybe it is the glass itself?

 

How could Nathan describe his voice? Delicately innocent? There was no husk, but it certainly wasn’t the voice of child. It flowed smoothly like water, with Nathan’s name being captured by the current.

 

Nathan’s astonishment at being answered must have been on his face, for Shoma chuckled and sat upright on the sill.

 

“I’m sorry. Are you surprised?”

 

“No! I mean- Yes. Sort of?” Nathan fumbled, embarrassed at being caught off guard. He almost felt embarrassed for watching Shoma sleep. He would hate for Shoma to think him some stalker type.

 

“It’s okay. I know this must be weird for you.” Shoma sympathized as he clapped the book shut and set it to the side. The sound it made seemed muffled as well. Whatever it was between them was, glass, a door, or even some kind of spell, it is beginning to annoy Nathan. He wants to hear Shoma properly.

 

“N-Not at all! I mean, it is strange talking to someone in a glass, but… It doesn’t feel out of place. Is that weird?”

 

“Not at all" Shoma laughs and continues. "I’m very glad to meet you. I haven’t spoken to anyone in a very long time.”

 

“How long-?” Nathan starts to ask, but Shoma is shaking his head, tucking stray strands of brown behind his ear to keep them out of his eyes.

 

"I don't know."

 

“I-I see…” In an attempt to get more comfortable, Nathan sits up and his eyes are pulled away ever so briefly. Ah. Right. He’s in the shop still. His back feels incredibly stiff suddenly, but it isn't enough to tear his attention away from the boy in front of him. Shoma is talking to him. They're really talking to each other.

 

“Ha-" Nathan makes a weak attempt to keep his thoughts lighter. "I was starting to think I was going crazy.”

 

In the glass, Shoma tilts his head slightly, much as a confused puppy would trying to listen to a sound it didn't know. It's more adorable than it has any right to be.

 

“Well, I mean, it’s not often you meet someone through a cup…”

 

Shoma’s smile seems to fade some. He fiddles with the pages of his closed book, opening it ever so slightly and letting the edges of the paper fall past his thumb over and over. The noise is quiet enough that Nathan cannot hear it through whatever stands between them, but he can imagine it.

 

“You are not crazy, but… Are you sure you wish to spend your time speaking to me? Some may fault you for it.” Shoma seems to ask.

 

“Absolutely. I want to get to know you.” Nathan has never answered a question faster. “That is, if you want to?”

 

“I would like to spend more time getting to know you as well, Nathan.”

 

Nathan breathes a sigh of relief, letting go of the breath he had been holding somehow. Unconsciously, he had been worried Shoma might reject him, tell him that it was a waste of both of their time and leave, though he isn’t sure he understands why. He'll just chalk it up to nerves.

 

“Can I ask you a question?” Nathan asks and when Shoma nods, he continues.

 

“Why… can I see you in the glass?”

 

“I wanted you to be able to see me. There is something special about you, Nathan.”

 

“Special…?” Nathan can feel his cheeks warm. Shoma had seen him too and had wanted Nathan to be able to talk to him. They mutually want to see each other. It feels comforting in its own right, to know that some feels are at least shared.

 

“Mhm. I think you’re very interesting.“

 

“Can… Can I ask you another question?”

 

“You can ask me as many questions as you want” Shoma says with a soft giggle.

 

“Are you… a ghost?”

 

“I am dead, yes.”

 

Shoma’s answer is so blunt that it almost sounds normal. Nathan has to remind himself that none of this is normal. A ghost of a boy in a glass is talking to him, telling him he’s dead. A very cute, whimsical boy that Nathan is stupidly falling for quickly.

 

“Why are you in the glass?”

 

“Hmm…” Shoma folds his fingers together in thought. “That is a long story. I’m not sure we have time today.”

 

“What, why?”

 

“Because someone is here.”

 

The bell on the antique shop's door jingles as someone enters and he has to pull himself away from his conversation. An actual customer?

 

Yuzuru waves from the doorway, with a plastic bag full of goodies.

 

“I brought snacks~”

 

Nathan smiles back, but he can’t help but feel just a little bit annoyed. He had just started to get to know Shoma. Why is Yuzuru back again?

 

 _“Until next we meet, Nathan.”_ Shoma’s voice is fading and when Nathan looks back to the glass, Shoma is gone. He can still see the windowsill, and the book that was left there, but the boy is gone. A sorrow settles in his stomach, but he does his best to give himself hope.

 

Yes. They will meet again.

 

Yuzuru sets the bag down on the desk to draw Nathan’s attention.

 

“You okay? You look tired. Wait-" Yuzuru leans in to get a better look at Nathan's face. "... Did you talk to them?”

 

Nathan forces himself to smile. It is better than trying to explain himself, so faking it is the only way to go.

 

“I did.” _'Less is more'_ Nathan thinks to himself.

 

Yuzuru's eyes seem to light up, a mix of joy concern and something else. He stands up quite abruptly.

 

“Oh. My. God. Did they reject you?! Are you okay? Should I hunt them down and beat them up-“

 

Nathan quickly lifts his hands making a desperate noise to stop Yuzuru’s ramble, feeling his heart jump in panic at the idea of Shoma hearing that. The very last thing he wants is for Shoma to think that he doesn’t like him. That idea makes his chest ache to his core.

 

“No, no, it’s fine. I… I talked to them, just like you said, but I didn’t ask them out.”

 

He steals a glance at the cup, but there is no Shoma there. Nathan isn’t sure what the audio range on glassware is, but he hopes Yuzuru won’t actively ruin his chances while attempting to be helpful.

 

Satisfied that his friend doesn't need to be defended in that moment, Yuzuru throws himself into the opposing chair.

 

“Good. I don't like fighting anyway. So... What are they like? Do I know them?”

 

The unsubtle attempt to glean information from Nathan misses its mark entirely as Nathan leans against the desk again.

 

“No, they… aren’t from around here. They’re shy, but kind and patient, at least with me.” As Yuzuru stares intently at Nathan, Nathan becomes increasingly aware that the air between them is some levels of awkward. He fidgets nervously in his chair. What is this sensation?

 

“Look, we’re not dating. We’re barely friends. There isn’t much to say, okay?”

 

Yuzuru pouts almost cartoonishly at Nathan in defiance of Nathan's lack of info.

 

“Boo. You better tell me better details when you start dating them, alright?”

 

With a deep sigh, Nathan agrees to it with a nod. As he reaches for the bag of goodies, Yuzuru’s hand reaches for the cup on the table and Nathan doesn’t have the chance to stop him before he does.

 

“This is pretty. It was here yesterday, right?” Yuzuru asks as he holds it up to the light.

 

 _No. Don’t touch that. It’s mine._ Nathan’s heart beat thumps heavily in his chest and has to do some intense mental gymnastics to keep himself in his chair instead of leaping across the table to pull it away from Yuzuru's grasp.

 

_Don’t freak out. Don’t try to grab it. Be calm._

 

Nathan’s horrified expression must’ve been on his face, because Yuzuru smiles in his direction.

 

“Relax, I won’t drop it.”

 

Every time Yuzuru traces a finger around the rim, Nathan feels a tightness in his chest. Jealousy? Or fear of being found out? Even though Nathan can see the depths of the glass that is a window to Shoma’s world, Yuzuru… doesn’t seem to notice. Or if he notices, he’s not making a big deal out of it. The former seems more likely, knowing Yuzuru's reactions to most things that can be considered normal.

 

“Oh-“ Yuzuru’s fingers touch a patch of… something on the glass. It’s just under the vessel itself, where the neck and cup meet. The something looks similar to dirt, but has the colors of rust. Nathan knows that color red from somewhere, but he cannot place it.

 

“It’s a bit dirty here. You should clean that before you sell it.” Yuzuru sets the glass back down on the desk and Nathan is quick to pick it up.

 

“I will take it to the back, then" he announces in a voice that is probably more curt than necessary.

 

Carefully, Nathan gets up to place the glass somewhere secure, where prying eyes won’t see it. As he does so, he passes by one of the many clocks on the wall.

 

No wonder he feels stiff. When did it get so late?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there. I've been thinking about writing a Petit Cossette AU for a dogs age and I finally had the time to do so. I'm really glad it's this pairing too. Uhm, so this probably won't be for the feint of heart as we go further down the rabbit hole, but I'll have a warning in the top notes of the chapters. If you have seen Petit Cossette, then you probably already know where this is going. This note one is at the bottom because there was only a little bit of blood, but here's your warning preemptively for the future. Enjoy!
> 
> All depictions of characters in these settings are my interpretations of the personas the real life people put on for the public and media, and should in no way be reflected upon the persons themselves and their private lives.


End file.
